Monday, December 29, 2008

The strange allure of Facebook

I think it was Elizabeth Ingram-Schindler who turned me on to Facebook. She asked if I was "on Facebook," which I sorta was (meaning I'd responded to someone's invitation and had uploaded a profile). I checked into it again and this time stuck my toe in.

My first search was for friends from my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Sure enough, there was Stephan from South Africa. Then there was his friend Trevor. Soon I was connected to my Camino friends Dani (Berlin) and Trevor R. (Ohio/Connecticut). After that, I was being contacted by friends from Wenatchee, friends from high school, fellow United Methodist clergy, church members. And on and on.

Then I started getting into seeing what people were posting. Conner is tired. Lorie slept in. David preached a good sermon. Trevor went four-wheeling. All silly, all mundane, all superficial.

Soon I was posting my own silly, mundane, superficial stuff. So, world, I'm proud of my turkey burgers. Or happy about the snow.

Facebook doesn't give much depth to communication. You'll never know the real person by reading Facebook. But boy does it give width to communication. I know a tiny bit about way more of my friends now. A mile wide and an inch deep, I guess. But it all makes for fun, passes the time, and keeps me out of trouble.

And now people know I'm a fan of John Wesley and Jon Stewart, of Alfred North Whitehead and Stephen Colbert. Not deep knowledge of me, not revealing, but a tiny glimpse to tickle someone's interest and maybe share a laugh.

Denny Way Rev

A 500-mile walk on the Camino de Santiago is a time consuming process that takes a person away from home and family on a spiritual trek for a month or longer. A much cheaper and easier way is to become a Virtual Pilgrim! That's what we're doing at First United Methodist Church of Seattle. Each week our Community Group of Cyber Pilgrims totals up the miles we've walked or run from our homes in the Greater Seattle area and posts those on a map showing our progress toward Santiago de Compostela, the historic pilgrimage site. When it's all done our virtual pilgrims receive our compostelas and share a paella dinner in celebration of fellowship, pilgrimage, St. James, and Spain. Follow our adventures along the Way!